As part of an ongoing and growing partnership Freefoam Building Products recently attended the Huws Gray Big Trade Event, held at the Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay. The first ever such event organised by Huws Gray turned out to be a lively and busy day, with over 1,500 Huws Gray customers and prospects taking part in fun activities, competitions and supplier promotions.
Freefoam have been working in partnership with Huws Gray for around two years. “Huws Gray and Freefoam share a similar culture,” said Terry Owen, managing director of Huws Gray. “It can be felt at all levels from Freefoam’s MD Aidan Harte, Colin St John and Richard Jackson. The other thing that I respect in Freefoam is that they have decided on their route to market and stuck with it. I hope that our growth journey together will help them get the complete national coverage they aim for.”
Wanting to improve its roofing range and enhance the offering for its customers Huws Gray turned to Freefoam. Kris Jones, roofing category manager, explained: “We chose Freefoam for their impressive product range, particularly the colours, and their reputation for customer focus. We are both independently run, able to make our own decisions, so we knew that Freefoam would be behind us every step of the way. The support we get from Freefoam is fantastic, we have a good relationship with the whole team, from external sales, through to directors of the company and the office support team who deal with us on a day to day basis. It’s a perfect partnership!”
Now available throughout the UK, branches hold a good range of Freefoam stock and are supported by the Huws Gray own distribution centre. With close to £200,000 of roofline products held at any one time, branches have access to stock every day of the week ensuring consistent supply, allowing Huws Gray to deliver ‘excellent’ levels of service to its customers. Rob Parker, Freefoam area sales manager for the north west explained: “Huws Gray customers’ benefit massively from this comprehensive stock holding. It means that Freefoam is front of mind when fitters drop into a branch. It’s always available to take away, allowing them to get behind the Freefoam brand and feel confident in offering roofline to their clients.”
Freefoam work in partnership with independent companies around the UK. Huws Gray are just one example of many Freefoam customers that illustrates how this way of working brings mutual benefits for both. Colin St John, commercial director summarised: “We set out over 20 years ago to service the supply chain, but not own it, and we’re still operating like this today. Huws Gray have seen tremendous double-digit growth in their roofline offering and we’re delighted the partnership has been so successful.”
